Phantoms of Past and Future
by Solaras Inc
Summary: One-Shot Crawford and Schuldig go to a movie. Not a crossover. Just a bti of fluff. CxS


Disclaimer: Weiss Kreuz is not mine. If it was… well let's just say the men of Schwarz would have a smaller wardrobe. Also The Phantom of the Opera musical is not mine either. That bit of genius is Andrew Lloyd Webber's.

Author's Note: I went to see the movie adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, and I was blown away. I loved it sooooo much. This story is the product of my love for the movie and for Schwarz. The little scene at the end of this story was stuck in my head and would not go away. I will warn you this story is total fluff. I almost can't believe I wrote it. It is CrawfordXSchuldig so enjoy.

Phantoms of Past and Future

Normally Brad Crawford hated movie theatres with their sticky floors, junk food refreshments, and loud obnoxious patrons. He couldn't even name the last movie he had been dragged to see, but he could guess that Schuldig had been responsible. In which case, the movie had probably been filled with sex and explosions. All Crawford wanted was one night of culture, or as close as he could come to it.

He could just barely remember seeing _The Phantom of the Opera_ on Broadway with his parents. The only reason the memory stayed with him was because that had been the last family outing before Rosenkreuz had come. Two days after seeing the play, with his mind still full of music, he had watched his parents both receive a shot to the head. Their payment for the abomination they had spawned. He had foreseen their deaths, and had watched them with the same calm as the end of the play. He always knew how things would end. He had known from the moment he set foot in that horrid school, that one day he would destroy it all.

Schuldig was the only source of surprises for his life. The telepath, constantly under influence of countless minds, was an unpredictable variable. At first Schuldig's erratic nature had bothered Crawford, but then he was able to appreciate the redhead's grounding influence. Not being able to see Schuldig's every move clearly helped the precog to remain firm in the present, instead of becoming lost in any number of futures.

Now it was Crawford's turn to surprise Schuldig, by suggesting they go see a movie. The redhead had been so stunned and excited by the prospect of going out, that he had neglected to ask the movie title. Crawford had learned quickly that it was little things that made Schuldig truly happy. Though Schuldig loved to be fussed over and bought expensive gifts, it was when Crawford made time just for them, that the redhead would grace him with a real smile.

Schuldig's smile was soon turned into a very comical grimace, as the two men sat in the middle of the theatre waiting for _The Phantom of the Opera_ to start. The telepath had envisioned them seeing one of the new horror movies, and him using the scary movie as an excuse to grab/grope Brad. Schuldig had definitely not envisioned them sitting through a boring musical, although he now understood why stuffy old Crawford had wanted to do something seemingly fun.

Schuldig had been irritable and fidgety waiting for the movie to start. He glared at the other patrons, and anyone who dared sit in the same row as the assassins found themselves leaving, suddenly uninterested in the movie. One couple, who was too cozy in Schuldig's aggravated opinion, found themselves leaving in search of divorce lawyers. Brad hissed several angry 'Schuldigs' before the telepath settled into his fate.

As the movie played, to Brad's relief, Schuldig's interest was slowly piqued. The prospect of a deformed masked man running around in the shadows killing people had intrigued the telepath. The redhead had whispered mentally that they should ask Farfarello if he ran about in a mask singing opera. The good humored joke had let Brad know Schuldig was finally enjoying himself. By the time of the scene depicting the production of _Il Muto_, which was punctuated by a gruesome hanging, Schuldig was thoroughly engrossed in the movie.

Brad, already knowing how the movie ended, was enjoying watching the telepath's reactions. He was endlessly pleased that, for once, Schuldig was enjoying something to his taste. As the scene shifted to Christine and Raoul's duet _'All I Ask of You'_ on the roof, Brad returned his gaze to the movie.

Schuldig's attention was taken away from the mushy love scene on screen, as Brad's hand closed over his own. The precog was adamant against public displays of affection. The rigidly composed American always shook the clingy telepath off in public. Curiosity got the better of him, and Schuldig gave the precog's mental shields a poke. Surprisingly Brad let him in.

Schuldig's mind nestled comfortably within Brad's shields, which blocked out the minds of the world. Inside the precog's mind the music resonated all around the telepath, but it had gained the flavor of Brad's voice and thoughts.

"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime  
Let me lead you from your solitude  
Say you need me with you here, beside you  
Anywhere you go, let me go too  
_Schuldig_, that's all I ask of you"

The redhead grasped the hand holding his own, and leaned his head against a welcoming shoulder. Brad Crawford sat enjoying his night of culture, or something close to it. He let the music flow over him, and his mind replaced old nightmares with new and promising memories.

End

"All I Ask of You" The version I am quoting is from _The Phantom of the Opera_ movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical. Lyrics by Charles Hart. This genius is in no way mine.

Well I hope someone out there liked this horrid bit of fluff I wrote. I'm not usually this sappy. I came out of that movie feeling so sappy and this is the result. I couldn't get this idea out of my head any other way than to subject others to it. As always reviews are appreciated and welcome. Thanks

Solaras


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